UASF-02B Ghost
The UASF-02 ''Ghost'' is the first unmanned fighter designed and built by the Systems Alliance. It was a joint venture between the Kadian and Anari Yards that finally gave birth to this fighter. Up till 18 ABY the fighter was only seen used in Systems Alliance space, but the fighter has now been given a go for full production and will be seen in SA fleets along with the Specter. History The Unmanned Aero-Space Fighter Project was first tackled by the Kadian Yards once their fleet was largely rebuilt after the invasion. The purpose of the project was to build a star fighter to match the droid fighters that so nearly wiped out their civilization. They had managed to recover a number of the Vulture and droid tri-fighters in various conditions. These fighters would be used as ground work for their own "droid fighter". While building a small sturdy chassis for the fighter was not a problem, building a droid brain and then programming it to be a pilot was something never done before. What would be known as the UASF-01 would never be completed because of these problems. Years later, after the Anari joined the Systems Alliance the UASF Project was brought back to light thanks to the Anari having more insight and access on droids. Issues with building a droid brain were soon resolved but the programming was still an issue. Four labs were given the task of finding a way to program a pilot. One attempted to modify the programming found in the CIS droid fighters that were recovered. While this seemed the best coarse of action modifying the code proved to cause more problems then solve them. Every time to made a step forward it would interfere with other programs and cause it to crash. The second tried to use a ExoShell pilot, copying their experiences as a fighter pilot, turning it into code and using that as a base to work off of. The lab was shut down when they ended up blanking the ExoShell pilot's mind, effectively killing her, and they got no data out of it. The Third built a learning program and exposed it to nothing but piloting simulations. This worked out great but all the AI wanted to do was fly and making changes to the code came up with the same problems as with the first lab. They would team up with the forth lab who had programmed a droid brain with everything it needed to know and do as a construct in the Systems Alliance Navy. Meaning it would follow orders, recognize and receive information on allies and enemies, allow for new programming to be introduced. When they introduced a modified version of the learning program they then put it through flight simulations, with and with out a organic pilot "flying" with it. Once it got use to atmospheric and space flight then the real work started. By this time the Anari had taken the UASF-01 flight frame and modified it. They made it smaller, sturdier, faster and more maneuverable. The Kadian Yards would then give it an appropriate weapon load that wouldn't hinder its flight capabilities. The finished product was coded into the flight simulator for the AI to use. Once it had learned how to operate its new form it was time to teach it dog fighting. This was done with real pilots during flight simulations. Many of the SA's squadrons would randomly be selected during their own training to have the AI fly with or even against them. Because they had no idea who or what it was that flew with or against them they soon referred to it as "The Ghost", and was both feared and revered in the sims. Ghost, as even the developers then started calling it, learned well and was soon able to make up its own maneuvers that no living pilot could perform and live. Having so flown with so many living pilots Ghost had developed a form of resourcefulness and cunning that seemed to improve over time when paired with someone over time. Ghost was ready by 16 ABY, its AI was copied and installed on six versions of the droid brain they designed. Two brains failed right away, the rest were installed into their fighters. Over time three more brains were discovered to not work well. The last one proved to be the best but needed expanded memory and tweaking to the processors. It would be another year before everything was worked out in the hardware. By 18 ABY the UASF-02B "Ghost" was completed and put into mass production. While the cost of building the craft is slightly more then the ASF-05 "Specter", there is no cost of training or paying a pilot, so in the long run Ghosts cost less. Systems Droid Brain/AI Because of the uniqueness of how the AI was developed, a Ghost has just about all the advantages of a unmanned fighter, the resourcefulness and cunning found in living pilots, and the ability to learn and adapt on the battle field. Speed and maneuvering Because of the strong structure and not having to worry about a living pilot, A Ghost is designed to be fast and stupidly maneuverable. The AI knows this and short of destroying its self it will make full use of its abilities. Its weight to thrust ratio allows for a Ghost to accelerate VERY quickly, at rates that would kill a living pilot. Armaments Particle Beam machine guns Basically a modified version of the beam guns found on the Systems Alliance's larger ships. They have the fire power of a heavy laser but the rapid fire of a blaster weapon. Missile Launchers Mostly anti fighter missiles, the fighter has a lot of internal space to hold a huge number of missiles. Heavy Missile Pods Mounted externally these optional weapons give the Ghost the ability to attack larger scale war ships. Particle Beam Cannons Mounted externally these weapons are exactly as whats seen on the Specter. But they are used to give a Ghost more of a ground support role. Category:Starfighters Category:Droid Ships